BROADWAY'S MY BEAT

Broadway’s My Beat has a been a favorite of old-time radio connoisseurs for decades, perhaps achieving as much popularity in the decades following its broadcast than it ever received when it was on the air. The gritty police drama focusing on New York City detective Danny Clover was one of several such programs in the post-War years and the writing, acting, and music have all held up remarkably well, riveting modern audiences as much as it did the listeners of yesteryear.

The show opened with Thor’s narration, "Broadway’s my beat, from Times Square to Columbus Circle… the gaudiest, the most violent, the lonesomest mile in the world." Dramatic music segued into the program’s title which subsequently gave way to a bluesy “(I’ll Take) Manhattan” that then faded into the street noise of Broadway at night.

Debuting from CBS’ New York studios on February 27, 1949 Broadway’s My Beat moved across the country to the network’s Hollywood studios just a few months later in July. Anthony Ross, the original Detective Danny Clover, stayed behind in New York and the role was assumed by Larry Thor on the West Coast who quickly made it his own. Other New York personnel included John Dietz (director), Lester Gottlieb (producer), and Robert Stringer (music).

In Hollywood, Broadway’s My Beat featured Larry Thor in the lead role of Danny Clover and Charles Calvert as St. Gino Tartaglia. Additionally, the program benefited from the voice talents of many West Coast radio regulars including Jack Kruschen, Herb Ellis, Hy Averback, Harry Bartell, Lawrence Dobkin, and Mary Jane Croft. Music was composed and arranged by Wilbur Hatch and Alexander Courage while up to three sound effects artists created a mosaic of New York City noise. The incomparable Elliott Lewis took over as producer and director while the dynamic writing duo of Morton Fine and David Friedkin cranked out the scripts.

The series’ lack of a sponsor for most of its run contributed to a hectic schedule, with one source identifying at least fifteen different time slots during its five-year run. Even the most dedicated listener would have struggled to keep tabs on the show’s place in the weekly radio line-up. William J. Wrigley co. (Spearmint Gum, 1950, 1951) and Lever Brothers Co. (Lux Soap, June 1952) briefly sponsored Broadway’s My Beat but neither became associated with the program.

Broadway’s My Beat has a distinguished history in the annals of the Old Time Radio Researchers; the series was the focus of a feature article (“Making Headway on Broadway”) in the very first issue of the Old Radio Times published in December 2005. Long-time member David Oxford even back then was making his way through a large number of cassettes to identify mis-named and mis-dated episodes. The series had three separate Certified editions and now the new Maintained set will be its fourth.

---

OTRR Release Information:

Series Name: Broadway's My Beat
Release Status: OTRR Maintained
Release Date: April, 2020
Release Version: Version 2004
Number of DVDs: 1

NOTE: Updated Release! Updated to Version 2020 (28-Apr-2020). Many new episode versions and upgraded encodes; New article scan; Updated CD artwork; New series summary; New reviews

NOTE: Updated Release! Updated to Version 3 (03-Dec-2014).

NOTE: Updated Release! Upgraded episodes (16-Oct-2011). Fixed MP3 tags (19-Dec-2011).

---

From the Old Time Radio Researchers Group. See "Notes" Section below for more information on the OTRR.

plus-circle Add Review

comment

Reviews